Thematic content presents theme-based visual and audio content to a user for their enjoyment and/or for informative purposes. Examples of such theme-based content includes movies, films, serial programming, sporting events, documentaries, newscasts, religious programs, commercials (typically of short duration with advertising content), or the like. Serial programming may present a continuing plot and/or theme, often with the same cast of actors, in a sequential episode-by-episode basis that is available periodically.
Thematic content is readily available for presentation to the user (i.e., viewing and listening to by the user) at a user's home. Thematic content may even be presentable to a user on their mobile devices. Such thematic content, if in the form of a feature movie or film, may also be available at a public location, such as a movie theatre or the like. Other public places, such as bars, restaurants, office lobbies, libraries, or the like, may include televisions or other presentation devices for viewing thematic content by their patrons.
Thematic content may be provided for user presentation using a variety of content delivery methods. For example, the thematic content may be provided to a user's home entertainment system (e.g., their television or the like) via a broadcast system or by an on-demand system. Other devices, such as the user's portable smart phone, tablet, notebook computer, or the like may be used to access thematic content from a remote website or the like via the Internet or other suitable communication system. Alternatively, thematic content may be provided to the user on a portable memory medium, such as a digital video disk (DVD), flash memory device, or the like.
In some situations, a group of friends may go to a public theatre or the like to view a feature film or other thematic content. Afterwards, the group may go to a coffee shop or other location wherein a lively and interesting conversation about the recently viewed thematic content ensues. Many individuals find such group conversations about the thematic content enjoyable and highly desirable.
In other situations, thematic content may be presented to the user when the user is alone or with a limited number of other individuals. In such situations, it may be difficult for the user to have a lively and interesting conversation about the presented thematic content with a group of other individuals because the other individuals may have not yet seen the thematic content, the other users may have previously seen the thematic content a relatively long time ago (and have therefore forgotten the thematic content at least to some extent), or the other users may simply not be available to carry on a conversation about the thematic content.
With the advent of the Internet and other communication media, a variety of social networking systems have been devised wherein individuals may input their commentary about a particular thematic content event that they have seen. Other users may access such social media facilitated commentary. Accordingly, the user may read and/or listen to the one-sided commentary provided by other individuals. However, the user viewing such commentary is not going to have an experience that is comparable to the above-described group of friends who are together to discuss a particular thematic content event.
Accordingly, there is a need in the arts to provide a user experience that is comparable to, emulates, or at least approximates, the above-described group of friends who are together to discuss a particular thematic content event.